Storage device for palettes containing air drying paints and values

ABSTRACT

A storage device for palettes containing air drying paints and values for use by artists comprising a plastic container. The container houses tablet-form palettes held in a predetermined manner for preventing paints and values from untimely drying hardening between use.

United States Patent [1 1 Maxwell May 27, 1975 1 STORAGE DEVICE FORPALETTES 2,515,703 7/1950 Dumas 206/l.7 CONTAINING AIR DRYING PAINTS AND2,645,334 7/1953 Aldridge 206/300 VALUES 2,923,081 2/1960 Simmons 312/313,165,227 1/1965 Crowell et a1... 220/42 C [75] Inventor: William J.Maxwell, Scottsdale, 3,256,975 6/1966 Puente /6 R Ariz. 3,324,996 6/1967.lordt 206/42 3,756,393 9/1973 Markwitz et a1 206/456 [73] Assignee:Masterson Enterprises, Inc.,

P hoemx Anz Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. 1 1 Flledl J y 12,1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmWarren F. B. Lindsley [21] Appl. N0.:378,585

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 206/1.7; 312/31; 206/205;

220/355 A storage device for palettes containing air drying [51] Int Cl344d 3/04; 344d 3/02. B65d 43/10 paints and values for use by artistscomprising a plastic [58] Field of Search 42 306 container. Thecontainer houses tablet-form palettes 2O6/456 220/60 R 42 1 held in apredetermined manner for preventing paints and values from untimelydrying hardening between [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1,009,995 11/1911 Reusche 206/l,7

STORAGE DEVICE FOR PALETTES CONTAINING AIR DRYING PAINTS AND VALUESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Painting has in recent years becomeincreasingly popular as an avocation or hobby. Men and women withartistic talent or who have the desire to engage in creative activity asa release from the cares and burdens of their vocations have turned topainting as a free time activity.

When such free time is limited, however, and when it comes only in briefperiods of an hour or two one or more times a week, the spare timeartist finds himself spending a major part of his time preparing andgetting set up to paint and in cleaning up and putting things awayagain. In addition, such brief separated periods of painting tend to bewasteful of expensive materials. Having mixed a number of colors on hispalette, the artist usually runs out of time before he runs out ofpaint. Knowing the paint will be dried out and unuseable when he nexthas an opportunity to paint, he discards it. The next time he wishes topaint he is confronted with the task of mixing a new set of colors orvalues which must be carefully matched with those he used before.Because colors and values tend to change in tone as they dry, this is adifficult and often frustrating task, and the waste of the expensivematerials is often compounded by the necessity of having to repeat anunsuccessful attempt.

One recent innovation, the throw-away palette, has simplified the taskof cleaning up at the end of a painting session, but it has notaddressed the problems of preparation, of mixing and remixing colors andvalues or the problem of the wasted materials. The throwaway palette issimply a tablet of treated paper that will not absorb the liquids of thepainting materials. Colors are mixed on the top sheet of the tablet asthey would be mixed on any conventional palette. At the end of thepainting session the top sheet is removed and discarded along with theunused paints.

What is needed is an innovation that will permit the part-time artist toreduce significantly the time required to get set up and ready to paint.The innovation should provide a means for preserving unused colors andvalues from one session until the next, thereby conserving both time andmaterials and allowing a maximum percentage of available time for actualcreative activity.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a storagedevice for palettes containing air drying paints and values comprisingan enclosure for preserving colors and values on the paletles from onepainting session to the next.

Another object of this invention is to provide a storage device forpalettes containing paints and values which significantly reduces thetime required for setting up and painting the next time.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a storage devicefor palettes that effectively prevents drying and hardening of theprepared colors and values on the palette by employing a reliableairtight seal between its cover and storage compartment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a storage devicefor used palettes that may be stored without color mixing.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such a palettestorage device formed from a molded,

synthetic plastic enclosure that is inexpensive to produce and easilycarried from place to place by the user.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a palettestorage device that is suitable for use with the throw-away tablet formof palette and which may be readily marketed and sold as a kitcomprising the storage device and one or more palette tablets.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming a part of this specificatron.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects are achieved in theinstant invention by providing a new and improved storage device forpalettes containing air drying paints and values comprising a plasticenclosure or container for the throwaway, tablet-form palettes which isequipped with projections that hold the palettes in place and preventsmudging of the colors regardless of the orientation of the storedenclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention may be morereadily described by reference to the accompaning drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspectivev view of the storage device for palettes showingthe container with the cover lifted away from the container and withportions of the container and cover broken away to reveal details of theconstruction.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the storage device shown in FIG. 1as viewed in the direction of the arrows at section 22'.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the storage device shown in FIG. 1taken along the lines 33 with the cover in place on the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawing by characters of reference, FIG. 1 discloses a storagedevice 10 for palettes containing air drying paints and valuescomprising a container 11 and a cover 12 therefor with the cover shownin an elevated position above the container. Both container 11 and cover12 are preferably formed of a semi-flexible plastic material. It shouldbe recognized that other suitable material may be used.

The container 11 is in the form of a shallow, open box having a flat,rectangular bottom 13 with vertical sides 14A and 14B, and ends 15A and158. The bottom, sides and ends may be substantially mutuallyperpendicular as in a simple, rectangular box.

Cover 12 comprises a flat top panel 16, sides 17A and 17B, ends 18A and18B and a multiplicity of flat, tapered projections 19A through 28Awhich are shown in FIG. I mounted around the periphery of the coverinside of its edge and extending into the container. A tapered downwardprojection 25 is provided at the center of the cover as shown.Reinforcing lateral ribs 26 may be provided for extending along theunder surface of panel 16 between the projections 19A-28A along theperiphery of cover 16 and longitudinal reinforcing ribs 27 between someof projections 19A-28A and projection 25. The lateral and longitudinalribs serve to reinforce both the panel 16 and the various projections.

The contours of container 11, cover 12, and their respective parts maybe visualized more clearly when considered in connection with thesectional views of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

An outwardly and downwardly extending flange 28 having a rounded convexcross-section traverses the periphery of the opening of container 1 lfor fitting into a channel 29 formed by a lip 29A traversing theperiphery of cover 16. The concave inner cavity of channel 29 isappropriately formed and dimensioned to fit snugly over flange 28 whencover 12 is in place on container 1 1, as shown in FIG. 3. Thecooperating surfaces of flange 28 and channel 29 are specially contouredso as to provide firstly a substantially air-tight seal between cover 12and container 11, and secondly to hold cover 12 securely in place. Thelatter function is accomplished by virtue of the interference betweenthe underside of the outwardly extending flange 28 and the inwardlyextending convex inner surface of lip 29A. The lip 29A is forcedoutwardly by flange 28 as the cover 12 is being installed on container11, and the residual stress in lip 29A producing an inward grabbingaction against flange 28 while cover 12 is in place. This sameinterference between flange 28 and lip 29A produces pressure between themating surfaces of the inner surface 30 of the periphery of container 11and surface 31 of inner wall 29B of channel 29. The pressure betweenthese two surfaces over their considerable contact surface areaaccomplishing the first function, ..e., producing the substantiallyair-tight seal between cover 12 and container 11.

In the intended application of the storage device, an appropriatelydimensional rectangular tablet-form palette 32 having disposable sheetsof treated paper is placed inside container 12. The artist then mixeshis paints on the top sheet of the tabletform palette in the usualmanner and proceeds to paint. If, at the end of his painting session, hehas further use for the colors and values he has prepared on the paletteand he expects to resume his painting activity within a few hours, daysor weeks, he simply installs cover 12 on container 11, the cover 12sealing the container 11 and its contents against the atmosphere andpreventing the evaporation of solvents from the prepared paints andvalues on the palette and preserving them for use during the nextpainting session.

As seen in FIG. 3, the lower extremities of the projections 19A-24A and25 press against the top surface of palette 32, holding palette 32 inplace against bottom 13 of container 11, their points of contact beingdistributed principally about the periphery of palette 32 where they arenot likely to come into contact with the paint stored on the surface ofthe palette. With palette 32 being held securely in place, it may bestored without regard for its orientation, i.er, right side up, upsidedown or on its side without hazard of smudging the paint. Furthermore,the storage device maybe conveniently stored in a refrigerator or othercool place to further reduce the drying rate of the prepared paints andvalues and the absence of restriction regarding its physical orientationsimplicics the problem of finding such suitable available space.

In order to provide some moisture in the storage device a sponge 33 maybe fastened at a suitable place to the underside of cover 16 with asuitable amount of moisture added thereto.

While specific cooperating surfaces between cover 12 and container 11have been descrobed, numerous variations in these parts will be apparentwhich will perform the same desired functions of holding the cover inplace and providing an air-tight seal. Other means will also be apparentfor securing the palette in place at the bottom of the container suchas, for example, a projection or a ridge running horizontally at leastpart way around the inner surface of the vertical sides and ends of thecontainer 11 just above the edges of the palette, or the inner wall 298of channel 29 may be extended downwardly so that its lower extremitypresses against the surface of palette 32 when cover 12 is in place.Furthermore, the combination of the storage device with a tablet-formpalette has been specifically described, but other forms of palettessuch as wood, plastic or glass may also be employed with some loss inconvenience.

A novel and useful storage device for palettes containing air dryingpaints and values has been provided which preserves the preparedpainting materials on a palette from one painting session to the next,thereby reducing the time required for setting up before painting,retaining the values which might be impossible to reproduce and cleaningup after each painting session. The storage device incorporatingparticular design features securely holds its cover in place whileproviding an air-tight seal and further secures the palette in place sothat colors cannot be smudged or transferred to other surfacesregardless of the orientation of the container. This latter featuregreatly simplifies the storage of the device between periods of use. Thestorage device is designed in two simple parts, both of which may beinexpensively molded from a synthetic plastic mate rial and sold as akit along with one or more tablet-form palettes.

Although the cover is shown as being pressed fitted on the container 11it should be recognized that it may be hingedly attached thereto.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in anillustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to thoseskilled in the art many additional modifications of structure,arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials and parts used in thepractice of the invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adaptedfor specific environments without departing from these principles. Theappended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any suchmodifications, within the limits only of the true spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A storage device for palettes containing air drying paints and valuescomprising:

a shallow rectangular box comprising a base and side and end wallsextending laterally from said base in the same direction for forming acontainer for receiving one or more palettes juxtapositioned against itsbase,

a substantially flat cover having a lip around its periphery forengaging in substantially air tight arrangement the edges of said sideand end walls of said container;

a means arranged around the periphery of said cover for extending intosaid container beyond said lip when said cover is mounted thereon forholding the palettes against the base of said container,

6 said means comprises a plurality of projections which tainer along thesurfaces of said side and end walls taper toward their ends, in slidingengagement therewith for aiding in proa tapered projection extendingoutwardly from the viding a substantially air tight seal,

center of said cover in the same direction as said said flat surfaces ofsaid lip wedgingly engages the projections around the periphery of saidcover, 5 surfaces of said side and end walls. the edges of said side andend walls being provided 2. The storage device set forth in claim 1 infurther with a convex surface for engaging a concave combination with:pocket in said lip around the periphery of said a sponge mounted on theinside of the cover for concover to form substantially an air tight sealtaining moisture to condition the air in the storage said lip around theperiphery of said cover further 10 device.

comprising a flat surface projecting into said con-

1. A storage device for palettes containing air drying paints and valuescomprising: a shallow rectangular box comprising a base and side and endwalls extending laterally from said base in the same direction forforming a container for receiving one or more palettes juxtapositionedagainst its base, a substantially flat cover having a lip around itsperiphery for engaging in substantially air tight arrangement the edgesof said side and end walls of said container, a means arranged aroundthe periphery of said cover for extending into said container beyondsaid lip when said cover is mounted thereon for holding the palettesagainst the base of said container, said means comprises a plurality ofprojections which taper toward their ends, a tapered projectionextending outwardly from the center of said cover in the same directionas said projections around the periphery of said cover, the edges ofsaid side and end walls being provided with a convex surface forengaging a concave pocket in said lip around the periphery of said coverto form substantially an air tight seal, said lip around the peripheryof said cover further comprising a flat surface projecting into saidcontainer along the surfaces of said side and end walls in slidingengagement therewith for aiding in providing a substantially air tightseal, said flat surfaces of said lip wedgingly engages the surfaces ofsaid side and end walls.
 2. The storage device set forth in claim 1 infurther combination with: a sponge mounted on the inside of the coverfor containing moisture to condition the air in the storage device.